toy – and so she thinks

1234 returns!

admin — Thu, 12 May 2016 10:02:37 +0000

The 1234 Festival returns to London with a band and DJ heavy line up that embraces all things new, old, emerging and established, local and international, and quite basically great about music.

Back in 2007 promoter Sean McClusky started the festival with the aim of bringing new and emerging artists to play on the same stages as the musicians who inspired them, connecting the past and present in one festival. This year the one day festival is collaborating with Rob Hallet and Robomagic to do exactly the same, but on a larger scale at their new park site at Three Mills Island, Bow.

Scooping the only headline festival performance from The Jesus & Mary Chain, along with the iconic sound of indie greats The Cribs, rising stars The Wytches and TOY, alongside newer acts Milk Teeth, Nova Twins, Telegram and Blinders, amongst many others, it’s set to be an ideal end to the summer festival calendar.

Limited early bird tickets just £24.95, on sale 9am Friday 13 May through Ticketweb

GENERAL www.ticketweb.co.uk/event/WVM0309

The Great Escape 2012 – Festival Special!

admin — Mon, 07 May 2012 19:40:40 +0000

It’s that time of year again, when It’s All Happening, along with thousands of music fans, hundreds of bands and a good percentage of the music industry head down to sunny Brighton, for The Great Escape. I could wax lyrical about it, but I will just let our special edition zine do the talking…
In it you’ll find our opinion on the following 57 bands, as well as where and when they are playing, to help you plan your weekend around maximum musical pleasure …Cut Ribbons, Deaf Club, Among Brothers, Alabama Shakes, Dry The River, Common Tongues, Mujeres, Me And The Bees, Ninette & The Goldfish, Seward, Amics del Bos, Oso Leone, The Suicide of Western C ulture, Furguson, The Robbie Boyd Band, Wet Nuns, Sonic Boom Six, Swim Deep, Yukon Blonde, Bos Angeles, Toy, Alt J, Maximo Park, Mystery Jets, Chew Lips, Dakota Beats, The Front Bottoms, Shabazz Palaces, Pikachunes, Tripple Nipples, BOY, Emily & The Woods, Rae Morris, Slow Down Molasses, Tall Ships, Fanzine, The Switch, Worship, Concrete Knives, Mammal Club, Saint Saviour, Spring Offensive, Gunning For Tamar, Clock Opera, Hymns, Dems, Munich, Escaoists, Team Me, The Joy Formidable, Warpaint, Katzenjammer, Rachel Sermanni, The Manic Shine, Hatcham Social, The Temper Trap & Jack Savoretti.
As well as the IAH team (Dan, John, Greta, Caroline, Michael, Katie and Francesca) the lovely Jen Long (BBC Radio 1), Chris Foster (Pop Noodle), Jordan Thomas (Recharged Radio), Ellie Coden – (Fierce Panda), and Steven Boniface (Labelled Independent) have all written guest articles – thanks guys!

Open publication – Free publishing – More bands

Red Kite & Toy @ Camden Barfly

admin — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:07:57 +0000

February 6th

HMV’s Next Big Thing

Reviewed by Katie Stanton

Red Kite is the resurrected outlet for former Cooper Temper Clause guitarist, Daniel Fisher. Their sound is the sort of classic rock to soundtrack long walks along the beach and pensive moments looking out at the ocean. Tonight, there are five people onstage , including a female bassist (Laura Hegarty) who spends the majority of the set looking sultry and/or bored. When lead singer Fisher allows, Laura steps up and contributes some refreshingly sweet vocals, but those moments are too far and few between. Fisher’s experience in CTC shows he knows how to write a good song, with subtle pop infusions and emotive riffs. However, it is Hegarty’s vocals that really make the stand-out tracks and the band need to expand on that.

Red Kite

Nothing compares to effortless cool on a cold night in the Camden Barfly. It is minus temperatures outside, yet TOY arrive onstage all long-haired, apathetic to the cold and ironically, cool as fuck. TOY are another resurrection, with three members originally from Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong. You would never have guessed this however, as TOY’s sound is fuzzier, less poppy yet far more irresistible. Their whole set boasts a Talking Heads nostalgia that makes me want to attend an 80s prom, get rejected, then come home and cry so I can listen to this band to make myself feel better. Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong achieved some level of notoriety, but disbanded in 2009. A subtle reshuffle and a deeper, meaningful sound could be exactly what they needed to achieve full-blown success.

Toy

You can download Toy’s new single Left Myself Behind and Clock Chime for free.